Forensics

What is Forensic science?

the application of science to criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice system

Basic services that make up a full crime lab

• Physical unit

• Biology unit

• Firearms uit

• Document examination unit

• Photography unit

Optional services provided by full-service crime labs

• Toxicology

• Latent fingerprint uint

• Polygraph unit

• voiceprint Analysis unit

• Crime-Scene investigation unit

Physical science unit

applies principles and techniques of chemistry, physics, and geology to the identification and comparison of crime-scene. Experts use chemical tests and modern analytical instrumentation to examine items as diverse as drugs, glass, paint, explosives, and soil.

Biology

staffed with biologists and biochemists who identify and perform DNA profiling on dried bloodstains and other body fluids, compare hairs and fibers, and identify and compare botanical materials such wood and plants

Firearms unit

examines firearms, discharged bullets, cartridge cases, shotgun shells, and ammunition of all types. Garments and other objects are also examined to detect firearms discharge residues and to approximate the distance from a target at which a weapon was fired. Also applies to the comparison of marks made by tools

Document Examination unit

studies the handwriting and typewriting on questioned documents to ascertain authenticity and/or source. Related responsiblities include analyzing paper and ink and examining indented writings

Photography unit

examines and records physical evidence. It procedures may require the use of highly specialized photographic techniques, such as digital imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and x-ray photography, to make invisible information visible to naked eye.

Toxicology unit

examines bodily and organs to determines the presence or absence of drugs and poisons. Such functions are shared with or may be the sole responsibility of a separate laboratory facility placed under the direction of the medical examiner’s or coroner’s office. Tool known as Intoxilyzer determines the alcholic comsumption of individuals.

Latent fingerprint unit

processes and examines evidence for latent fingerprints when they are submitted in conjunction with other labortory examinations

PolyGraph unit

come to be recognized as an essential tool of the criminal investigator rather than the forensic scientist.

Voiceprint Analysis unit

to tie the voice to a particular suspect. To end this, good deal of casework has been performed with the sound spectrograph an instrument that transforms speech into a visual display called a voiceprint.

Crime-scene investigation unit

dispatches specially trained personnel to the crime scene to collect and preserve physical evidence that will later be processed at a crime lab

Sir Alec jefferys

created the way to identify DNA

Scientific method

Science derives its integrity from adherence to strict guidelines that ensure the careful and systematic collection, organization, and Analysis of information. The underlying principles of the scientific method provide a safety net to ensure that the outcome of an investigation is not tainted by human motion or compromised by distorting, belittling, or ignoring contrary evidence

what a criminalist is?

collects, identifies, and analyzes physical evidence from crime scenes to help solve criminal investigations

Whos the most important person at a crime scene

The most important person at the crime scene is the first guy to walk in the door

what the 3 steps are regarding gathering evidence

 Identify what is a piece of evidence to collect

Properly collect

Then preserve it by putting it into an evidence bag not everything like liquid go in bag

Forensic scientist

spend their days analyzing evidence using advanced microscopes, spectrometers, and DNA sequencers

Law enforcement

secure locations, take photographs, sketch layouts, and search for physical traces

Mathieu Orfila

 The father of forensic toxicology, a native of Spain, he ultimately became a renowned teacher of medicine in France. Orfila published the first scientific treatise on the detection of poisons and their effects on animals

 Alphonse bertillion

 The father of Criminal Identification. Devised the first scientific system of personal identification. Bertillon began to develop the science of anthropometry, a systematic procedure of taking a series of body measurements as a means of distinguishing one individual from another.

Leone lattes

A professor at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Turin in Italy, He devised a relatively simple procedure for determining the blood group of a dried blood stain, a technique that he immediately applied to criminal investigations.

Calvin Goddard

A U.S. Army colonel refined the techniques of determining whether a particular gun had fired a bullet. Establish the comparison microscope as the indispensable tool of the modern Firearms Examiner

Albert Osborne

• His Development of fundamental principles of document examination was responsible for the acceptance of documents as scientific evidence by the courts; he authored the first significant text in this field, Questioned Documents.  This book is still considered a primary reference for document examiners.

Walter mccrone

His career paralleled advances in sophisticated analytical technology; nevertheless, during his lifetime he became the world's preeminent microscopist. Through his books, journal publications, and research institute, he was a tireless advocate for applying microscopy to analytical problems, particularly forensic science cases.  His exceptional communication skills made him a much-thought-after instructor, and he was responsible for educating thousands of forensic scientists throughout the world in the application of microscopic techniques.  He used microscopy often in conjunction with other analytical methods to examine evidence in thousands of criminal and civil cases throughout a long and illustrious career. 

Hans gross

 wrote the first treatise describing the application of scientific disciplines to the field of criminal investigation.  A public prosecutor and judge in Austria, he spent many years studying and developing principles of criminal investigation.  In his classic book, Criminal Investigation, he detailed the assistance that investigators could expect from the fields of microscopy, chemistry,  physics, mineralogy, zoology, botany, anthropometry, and fingerprinting.  He later introduced the Forensic Journal, which still serves as a medium for recording improved methods of scientific crime detection.

Edmond locard 

A Frenchman demonstrated how the principles and techniques identified by Gross could be incorporated within a workable crime lab. His formal education was in both medicine and law.  He persuaded the Lyons Police Department to give him two attic rooms and two assistants to start a police Laboratory.  During his first years of work, the only available instruments were a microscope and a rudimentary spectrometer.  However, his enthusiasm quickly overcame the technical and monetary deficiencies he encountered. From these modest beginnings, his research and accomplishments became known throughout the World by forensic scientists and criminal investigators. He became the founder and director of the Institute of Criminalistics at the University of Lyons. This quickly developed into a leading international center for the study and research of forensic science.

Locard's exchange principle

 Believes that when a person comes in contact with an object or person, a transfer of materials occurs.  Every criminal can be connected to a crime by dust particles carried from the crime scene.  This concept is reinforced by a series of successful and well-publicized investigations.  In one case presented with counterfeit coins and the names of three suspects, he urged the police to bring the suspects' clothing to his laboratory. After one careful examination, he located small metallic particles in all the garments.  A chemical analysis revealed that the particles and coins were composed of exactly the same metallic elements.  Confronted with this evidence, the suspects were arrested and soon confessed to the crime. 

What was the oldest forensic laboratory in the US

 the Los Angeles Police Department created by August Vollmer a police chief from Berkeley California

What was the largest forensic laboratory in the US

 the FBI Laboratory performing more than 1 million examinations every year 

What was the reason for rapid growth of the crime labs

• increaing demands of casework 

• - Modern technology has provided forensic scientists with many new skills and Technology to meet the challenges accompanying their increased participation in the criminal justice system 

• Increasing of crime results in the US 

• Drug abuse has accelerated to uncontrollable estimates 

• First saw their potential application to criminal investigation

Challenges for Crime labs

• To meet the demands of DNA technology crime labs have expanded staff and many cases modernize their physical plans

•  the labor intensive demands and sophisticated requirements of Technology have affected the structure of the forensic laboratory as has no technology in the past 50 years 

• On analyze case work DNA samples reported by state and National agencies

• Untested convicted offender samples

•  and attempt to eliminate the backlog of convicted offender or a rusty samples to be analyzed and entered into the combined DNA index system the federal government has initiated funding for in-house and Analysis of samples at the crime laboratory or Outsourcing samples to private Laboratories for analysis 

Federal crime Laboratories

•  Federal Government has no single law enforcement or investigative agency with unlimited jurisdiction four major federal crime Laboratories have been created to help investigate and enforce criminal laws that extend beyond the jurisdictional boundaries of state and local forces

State and local crime Laboratory

- most state governments maintain a crime laboratory to service say and local law enforcement agencies that do not have ready access to a laboratory 

Analysis of physical evidence

A forensic scientist Must be skilled in applying the principles and techniques of the physical and Natural Sciences to analyze the many types of physical evidence that they might recover during a criminal investigation of these three major Avenues available to police investigators for assistance in solving a crime confessions I witness accounts by victims or Witnesses and the evaluation of physical evidence retrieved from the crime scene only physical evidence is free of inherent error or bias.

Determining admissibility of evidence Fry versus the US

 the District of Columbia Circuit Court set forth  what has since become a standard guideline for determining the judicial admissibility of scientific examinations. 

To meet the standard the court must decide whether the question procedure technique or principle is generally accepted by a meaningful segment of the relevant scientific community.  furthermore in determining whether a novel technique meets criteria associated with a general acceptance courts have frequently taken note of booked Papers written on the subject as well as prior judicial decisions relating to the reliability and general acceptance of the technique this approach required The prominent of a scientific test to present to the court a collection of experts who could testify that the scientific issue before the court is generally accepted by the relevant members of the scientific community .

Daubert verse marell dowl Pharmaceuticals

The US Supreme Court asserted that the general acceptance or the Frye standard is not an absolute prerequisite to the admissibility of scientific evidence under the federal Rules of Evidence the task of ensuring that an experts testimony rests on a reliable foundation and is relevant to the case

Judging scientific evidence

The court advocates is that the trial judges  assumes the ultimate responsibility for acting as the gatekeeper and judging the admissibility and reliability of scientific evidence presented in their courts

•  whether the scientific technique or Theory can be tested or has been tested

•  whether the technique or theory has been subject to peer review and publication

•  the techniques potential rate of error

•  existence and maintenance of Standards controlling the techniques operation whether the scientific theory or method has attracted widespread acceptance within a relevance scientific community 

Expert witness

• Trial judges determine whether the individual is an expert witness on a particular subject or not

•  if a witness can establish to the satisfaction of a trial judge that he or she possesses a particular skill or has knowledge in a trade  profession that will Aid the court and determining the truth of the matter issue that individual will be accepted as an expert witness

•  maybe ask questions intended to demonstrate her or his ability and competence pertaining to the matter at hand witness site educational degrees participation in special courses membership in professional societies and any professional articles or books published also important is the number of years of Occupational experience the witness has had in areas related to the matter before the court

•  can State their opinion based on a reasonable scientific certainty derived from training and experience expert is expected to defend rigorously techniques and conclusions of the analysis Before judge rules on the witnesses qualifications the opposing attorney May cost examine the witness and point out weaknesses in training and knowledge 

Specialized forensic science services

 forensic psychiatry

Forensic odontology 

forensic engineering

 forensic computer and digital analysis

Lay Witness

 can only testify on events or observations that arise from personal knowledge this testimony must be factual and with few exceptions cannot contain the personal opinions of the witness 

Forensic psychiatry

 a specialized area in which the relationship between human behavior and legal proceedings is examined.  routine for both civil and Criminal litigations,  for civil cases they normally determine whether people are competent to make decisions about preparing Wills selling properly or refusing medical treatment.  for criminal cases they evaluate behavioral disorders and determine whether people are competent to stand trial they also examine behavioral patterns of criminals as an aid in developing a suspects behavioral profile

 forensic o dontology

 help identify victims when the body is left in and on recognizable State T4 composed of an animal the hardest substance in the body because of the enamel's resilience the teeth Outlast tissues in organs as decomposition begins.

 also interpreted human bite marks as a means of identifying a potential Predator with  mark left on a victim

 forensic engineering

 concerned with failure analysis accident reconstruction causes and origins of fires and explosion

  answer questions such as these how did an accident or structural failure occur where the parties involved responsible if so how were they responsible accident scenes are examined photographs are reviewed and any mechanical objects involved inspected

 forensic computer and digital  analysis

  a new and fasting growing field that involves with the identification collection preservation and examination of information derived from computers and other digital devices such as cell phones law enforcement aspects of this work normally involve the recovery or deleted or overridden data from a computer's hard drive and the tracking of hacking activities within the comprised system